1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a shaped charge warhead. More particularly, the method of detonating the warhead is selected in the battlefield, thereby enabling selection of an expelled projectile selected from the group that includes penetrating jets, explosively formed penetrators and multiple fragments. The ability to select an expelled projectile type enables a single warhead, using a single liner and explosive configuration, to be effective against a number of different targets.
2. Description of Related Art
Shaped charge warheads have proven useful against targets having rolled 15 homogeneous steel armor (RHA), such as tanks. Detonation of the shaped charge warhead forms a small diameter molten metal elongated cylinder, referred to as a penetrating jet, that travels at a speed that typically exceeds 10 kilometers per second. The high velocity of the jet coupled with the high density of the metal forming the jet enables the jet to penetrate RHA. The jet then typically dissipates any remaining momentum as multiple fragments within the tank enclosure, thereby disabling the tank.
While useful against RHA, high velocity penetrating jets are less effective against lightly armored targets, such as troop carriers. The high speed jet pierces a wall of the target and, unless the jet strikes an object within the target, exits through the other side causing minimal damage. Likewise, the high velocity penetrating jets are of limited value against a target having few vulnerable points, such as a radar installation.
Recognizing the vulnerability of RHA to high velocity penetrating jets, defensive armor has been developed. Composite armor is one type of defensive armor. Composite armor has a multilayer structure with layers formed from materials of different densities and different relative hardnesses. For example, one layer may be RHA and an adjacent layer a ceramic or a polymeric rubber. As a high velocity jet passes through layers of different densities and different relative hardnesses, the speed of the front end of the jet changes and disruptive shock waves may form. Composite armor is intended to cause early breakup of the penetrating jet, before the penetrating jet breaches the armor.
A second type of defensive armor employs armor plates disposed at a non-normal angle relative to the likely trajectory of the penetrating jet. When the jet impacts the angled armor, the trajectory is disrupted reducing the depth of jet penetration into the armor.
Projectiles to defeat lightly armored vehicles and installations with few points of vulnerability are known. Each target type has special requirements. For example, an explosively formed penetrator (EFP) is useful against a lightly armored target. An explosively formed penetrator is formed from a shaped charge warhead having a different liner configuration than used to form a penetrating jet. The formed EFP has a larger diameter, a shorter length and a slower speed than a high velocity penetrating jet. The explosively formed penetrator is more likely to remain within the confines of the target causing increased damage.
Multiple fragments are useful against an installation with few points of vulnerability. The multiple fragments increase the odds that a vulnerability point, such as an electronic component, will be damaged.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,929 discloses that liner shape can influence whether a penetrating jet or a slug is formed. Generally, the smaller the included angle of the shaped charge liner, the more the projectile will have the characteristics of a penetrating jet. The larger that included angle, the more likely the characteristics will be that of an explosively formed penetrator.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,859 discloses that different types of targets may be faced in the battlefield and provides a multipurpose warhead having, in tandem, three separate warheads. Each warhead has a single function and is useful against a different type target.
One portable weapon that utilizes shaped charge warheads is an anti-tank weapon known as Javelin. The Javelin was developed and is manufactured by Raytheon/Lockheed Martin Javelin Joint Venture of Lewisville, Tex. and Orlando, Fla. The weapon has a nominal carry weight of 22.3 kilograms and is a shoulder-fired weapon that can also be installed on tracked, wheeled or amphibious vehicles.
While the Javelin and other such portable weapons are capable of firing a shaped-charge warhead, frequently the target that will be encountered in the battlefield is not known at the beginning of a mission. This requires troops to carry multiple types of warheads undesirably increasing the transported weight. Likewise, incorporating multiple warheads into a single multipurpose warhead undesirably increases both the warhead length and weight.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a single multipurpose warhead that is capable of defeating a variety of targets, that utilizes a single liner and explosive configuration and that may be selectively programmed in the field.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a multipurpose warhead that utilizes a single liner and explosive configuration, and that is capable of defeating a number of different types of targets. It is a feature of the invention that the multipurpose warhead utilizes a shaped charge device having a plurality of detonation sites. By proper selection of the detonation sites, the type of projectile expelled from the shaped charge device may be selectively varied. It is another feature of the invention that the length of the shaped charge device is less than its diameter resulting in a compact, light weight, warhead that utilizes a single liner and explosive configuration and is easily transportable. Still another feature of the invention is that the multipurpose warhead is useful with portable, hand-held weapons.
Among the advantages of the multipurpose warhead of the invention is that a single warhead may be used against a variety of armor types and a variety of targets. As a result, troops need carry only one type of light-weight warhead, reducing the weight penalty imposed on the troops.
In accordance with the invention, there is provided a multipurpose charge for a warhead. The charge includes a housing having an open end and a closed end with sidewalls disposed therebetween. A jet producing liner closes the open end. The housing and the jet producing liner in combination define an internal cavity. An initiating explosive is housed within this internal cavity and located adjacent to the closed end. A primary explosive is disposed within the internal cavity and disposed between the jet producing liner and the initiating explosive. Contacting the primary explosive is a first detonator effective for single point detonation of the primary explosive and a second detonator effective for multipoint peripheral detonation of the primary explosive.
The above-stated objects"" features and advantages will become more apparent from the specification and drawings that follow.